Basketball Drills For Kids

Basketball drills for kids are essential for developing a strong foundation in the sport. The following dribbling drills are aimed at beginning players and teach basic dribbling skills in a fun, engaging way. Through these drills, young basketball players will learn how to dribble effectively and increase their awareness on the court.

When to Use Basketball Drills for Kids

Try these kids basketball drills at practice, after a short warm-up. If the team is reasonably sized, all players can participate at once. If not, consider splitting the team into two groups so you can properly evaluate them. These drills are easy to incorporate in any practice plan, and can be switched out so the team never gets bored!

Red Light/Green Light Dribbling Drill

This basketball drill is a fun twist on a kids' game that focuses on dribbling skills and can be adjusted or advanced, depending on the age group. To start, the players stand in a line, each with their own ball. When the coach yells a color, players react differently. The colors are defined as:

* Green - kids move forward while dribbling
* Yellow - kids dribble to the left
* Blue - kids dribble to the right
* Red - kids stop dribbling

Coaches can add additional colors depending on skill level.

Count Your Dribbles

This basketball drill for kids helps beginning players increase their speed while dribbling. The players begin spaced out at half court, each with their own ball. The drill is done in two simple parts:

1. Players count their dribbles as they run to the edge of the court
2. Players count their dribbles as they return to half court

The drill continues, and each time, players try to reduce their dribbles by one. Coaches can make this a game to see which player can get the fewest dribbles. Another easy game is to set a goal for number of dribbles and see which player can get their dribbles down to the goal the fastest.

Keep it Bouncing

This kids basketball drill helps develop defense techniques and ballhandling at the same time. Each player dribbles their own ball (no double dribbling) while trying to tap out other player's balls. The kids learn to navigate while dribbling and also increase their awareness of other players on the court, improving both their offense and defense skills.

This drill can also be a game, with players aiming to tap out their teammates' balls a certain number of times. The first person who reaches the number is the winner. A variation of the game would be to have players team up against each other and work in pairs. For more free basketball drills and coaching tips for kids, visit my blog at:

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